


From Death's Grip

by illuminousink



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Gangsters, Angst, Blood and Injury, Character Death, Drinking, Fluff, Gang Violence, Gangsters, Gun Violence, M/M, Mafia EXO (EXO), Minor Violence, OT12 (EXO), Romance, Vigilante group, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-11-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:55:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 14,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23624965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/illuminousink/pseuds/illuminousink
Summary: Minseok was once a leader, but one's greed took that away from him.He was saved and given another chance to correct his mistakes. But correcting it comes with a price and he'll have to face the people that had once betrayed him.Will he spare them or return the favor that they did to him?
Relationships: Kim Minseok | Xiumin/Lu Han
Comments: 5
Kudos: 13





	1. His Present and The Past That Changed Him

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone!  
> This is my first chaptered XiuHan fic that I'm putting out. I honestly am so unsure about this whole thing because I'm really nervous about this but at the same time I really, really love XiuHan. So I really hope you guys like it and don't forget to leave kudos and comments. I'd really appreciate it.

Minseok smiled, thinking deeply about his past and how his life was so much better than the days of his past. Looking up at the clear sky, a feeling of content settled in his chest. He thought his life would never see better days but he was glad he lasted this long to see the change. He was glad that he had held on. He was glad that he continued living and dreaming.

Settling on a bench, he couldn’t help but reminisce the past that he had finally come to accept. Appreciation of happiness truly was different for each individual. For Minseok, had he not experienced hardships in life he would never appreciate what he had today. His past shaped his ideals but his present defined him. He grew from being this boy who would simply throw away his life into a man that knows how precious his life is.

Looking at the cherry blossoms fall from the trees, if felt familiar. The pink petals fell around and he sighed while watching them sway with the cool breeze. Minseok looked ahead and thought how nice it would be if _he_ had made it.

Patting his clothes to remove the fallen petals, he stood up and smiled brightly at the little girl that came running towards him. He opened his arms and caught her before twirling around and hugging her tightly. He looked at her beautiful brown orbs that resembled her father’s and the silky black hair that flowed from her head. Minseok loved the way she smiles, an exact replica of her father.

“Let’s go to the cemetery. The uncles must be waiting.” The little girl smiled brightly at Minseok. He smiled back before landing a kiss on her cheek. “Whatever our baby wants.” Minseok said before putting her down and holding her hand.

Looking at their hands held together, Minseok remembered that moment when _that guy_ offered his. He was wary of everyone back then that he never would have thought that a simple gesture could change his life forever.

~~~***~~~

“Need a hand?” a familiar voice called out. Minseok looked up but was blinded by the flash of the sun. He immediately looked away before shaking his head and rubbing his eyes. A sharp pain shot up from his body and when he looked down, there was blood on the side of his clothes.

“Did you guys bring the medics?” he heard the same voice ask. Minseok wondered why someone would help him when he was a lost cause. He felt a hand on his body which he immediately swatted away. “Fuck off!” He muttered.

“Do yourself a favor and shut up.” The voice told him before feeling an excruciating pain radiate from the side of his body. Minseok cried out in pain, thrashing around but unable to move. “I SAID FUCK OFF!!!” Minseok screamed but the pain shot right through his system.

Minseok groaned when he felt something poke his skin. He opened his eyes but his vision had become blurry and the next thing he knew, everything went black.

\---

Minseok immediately sat up the moment he regained consciousness but just as he did, an excruciating pain radiated from the side of his body making him bend down in pain. He held his side, where the pain originated and found a bandage covering it. Confusion filled him but he soon remembered why he was in such a state.

“Finally awake.” Minseok whipped his head to see where the voice came from and saw Luhan standing by the doorway. The man looked the same as he remembered him. Standing taller than him but didn’t necessarily tower over him. The tight muscles on his arms were still apparent even with a shirt and he still looked disgustingly pretty, much to Minseok’s annoyance. He looked intimidating with his arms crossed and his usual glare present. The injured couldn’t help but piece things together before gasping. Shock was evident in the injured’s face when he realized where he was.

“Why…?” Was the first word that came out of his lips, unsure what else to ask.

Luhan loosened his arms before walking towards Minseok’s bed, there was a certain look in his face that made the smaller wrinkle his forehead. Pulling a chair to sit by the bed, Luhan scratched his eyebrow before saying, “Your gang betrayed you.” as if that simple sentence could summarize the entire fuck up that was Minseok’s life.

The injured guy looked down on his bandages in confusion, he couldn’t help but bite his lower lip and feel the anger sink in again. The people he led turned around and betrayed him when they reached the top. The same people who he protected, he fought with and trusted. Minseok gritted his teeth, making a fist until his hands turned white.

“How…? How did you know about it?” Minseok asked, deep in his mind there was a tugging feeling that Luhan was holding him hostage to kill for later on or maybe Luhan knows because…

“They came begging, asking help to overthrow you.” Luhan answered, confirming Minseok’s suspicions. It felt like the other was reading his mind and it didn’t sit well with him.

“If that’s the case… then why help me? Why didn’t you just get rid of me?” Minseok asked, still looking down in anger.

“It wouldn’t be fun to lose a chess piece.” Luhan answered. His arrogance was evident and Minseok just scoffed at him. “Chess piece…” Minseok whispered in disdain. “You disgust me.” he said, glaring at Luhan.

Luhan just looked at him unaffected by his empty threats. “Doesn’t matter. Now that I saved you, you owe me your life. So serve me well.” Luhan said, standing up as he shoved his hands in his pocket.

“Fuck you!” Minseok answered back but Luhan just scoffed as he licked his lips before grazing it with his teeth. He glanced back at the man on the bed before smirking at him. He was entertained to see the injured man glaring at him with eyes filled with anger but he was unfazed by it. Shaking his head, he simply waved his hand before heading towards the door to leave.

Minseok couldn’t help but grit his teeth and swear in his mind. Hands latching on his face as he felt the pain of betrayal rip his heart apart.

\---

“Well, looks like it’s healing properly.” That irritating rubber glove sound slapped Minseok out of his silence. It’s been a few days after his unsightly battle with his gang and yet these people have been taking care of him nonstop. His snapping slowly eased as the medic in the group continuously helped him with his wound.

Though hearing the rubber glove, it was a catalyst that pushed him to set aside his anger and maybe look at the medic with more than just rage. So instead of roaring at the guy who just checked his wound, he scoffed.

“I told you I hate the sound of your rubber gloves.” Minseok said, his voice threatening as if one more wrong move and the guy would be kissing the floor at any given second.

“Well I can’t risk your health.” He said, “Also, I’m a doctor. Look.” He said, pointing at the badge on his lab gown just at his left chest before wearing that cat-like smile that somehow pissed off the injured guy. “Gloves are essential to my life.”

“Jongdae, stop pestering the guy. You know how shitty he is.” Minseok glared at the guy who popped his head into the room. The dark shadows that loomed around his eyes made him look like a panda that was too tall for Minseok’s liking. He heard the guy click his tongue before entering and pulling Jongdae’s arm to leave.

“I can walk on my own, Tao, thank you very much.” Jongdae said, shaking Tao’s hand away from his arm like a child. Tao just rolled his eyes before returning the glare to Minseok.

“We better leave before he infects us with his useless pride.” Tao mumbled but loud enough for Minseok to hear.

The older simply scoffed at him, if he could only move properly then he’d smack the living daylights out of the arrogant youngster. Just because he’s tall doesn’t mean Minseok can’t hit him.

“It’s the order from the boss to make sure he gets well fast. Sooner or later he’s gonna have to return the favor.” Jongdae said, looking at Minseok who simply turned away from them. 


	2. A Way to Fight

Weeks passed and Minseok’s wound improved significantly. It was just a matter of time until it completely healed. And with the help of Yunho and Jongdae, the medics of the team, he also managed to get back in shape in no time. It didn’t take long for Minseok to get used to the things around this new group. Though the others were still wary around him, there were also some who liked the idea of him in the group instead of against them.

Minseok learned that there was no such thing as seniority in this place. They all respected each other and treated each other as special pieces in Luhan’s puzzle. No matter how young or old people were in this group, everyone respected Luhan’s leadership. Though he reigns over this group differently than Minseok, Luhan was confident that each and every member will pledge their undying loyalty to him had Minseok asked anyone.

Minseok couldn’t believe that such a thing was possible, his gang was nothing but dependent people who clung to him while they needed him but when he met the others he realized how the way he handled his group was a mistake. Each of them had different stories to tell, but everyone ends their story the same way. Luhan helped them and gave them a home to stay. What more is, they were all helped to become independent people instead of just depending their life on one guy. Though Luhan welcomed the thought of the members needing him, he still wanted them to know how to live life without relying on orders. He started wondering and thinking that his first impression over the leader was different than his true self. Maybe Luhan wasn’t such a bad guy after all. Basing it off everyone’s experience, Luhan wasn’t really a person of many words but his actions screamed how amazing a person he was. Minseok smirked, thinking how he has yet to beat the guy in a fight.

“I’m telling you, you still need to take care of your wound. Challenging the boss wouldn’t really be good for you or your pride, mind you.” Yunho warned before nibbling on the spinach he bit with his fork. Minseok grimaced when he glanced at the plate with nothing on it but a pile of spinach and tomatoes. With the way he ate it, he looked more like a rabbit who had a smile of a cat.

“How can you possibly eat that and that alone. You don’t even put any sauce on it. That’s repulsive.” Minseok’s eyes turned to slits as he looked at Yunho in disgust. Lunch was normally the best time to talk to Jongdae since he never missed it and he was always at the same place at the same time – the dining area.

“Well excuse me for being a vegetarian. Ever heard of that word? It means someone who only eats vegetables.” Yunho said, continuing to nibble on his spinach with an open mouth to irk Minseok more.

“It’s a person who does not eat meat, and sometimes other animal products, especially for moral, religious, or health reasons.” Someone said, entering the dining room while carrying boxes in his arms. The two, who were siting at the table, whipped their heads to look at the new addition in the room. Standing tall with a muscular build and eyes that looked like he was tired, Minseok wondered if the guy hadn’t had enough sleep for days with the way his lids were half open.

“I know what it means Yixing. I AM one of the group’s medic.” Yunho grumbled to the guy that just entered. “Besides, I would like to be healthy. You don’t know what those animals put in their body, why should I put them in mine?”

Rolling his eyes, he sighed before noticing Minseok. “How are you adjusting so far?” Yixing asked, his voice was laced with concern but his face was void of emotions that it was hard for Minseok to read him.

“I’m… adjusting well.” Minseok answered. Yixing looked away before nodding his head. “Good…” Yixing mumbled before turning around to leave. Minseok wrinkled his forehead when he saw what the other guy did, it felt odd that Yixing’s concern was laced with such an apathetic face.

“If you’re wondering about him… Yixing doesn’t show off his emotions. He’s a good guy… But it just takes a while for him to trust people. He’s… got issues.” Yunho explained as he looked at the direction Yixing went to. Minseok nodded, understanding him.

“Anyway, as for your question… If you’re gonna look for help in this place, your best bet would be the Jongin or Sehun. They’re the youngest ones here, but they’re also the best choices when you need something in this place. I don’t know how they do it but negotiating with them might give you what you want. They know everything and they also know how to manage the older people.” Yunho explained. Minseok noticed how the other’s reaction soured while talking about the two. It was funny to see.

“Even you?” Minseok asked curiously, before flinching when Yunho broke the plate by stabbing it with the fork he held. Yunho seethed in anger with irritation obvious in his expression.

“Of course not.” Yunho said, smiling whilst gritting his teeth. “They know how to use people. That’s that.”

With the way Yunho reacted, Minseok knew it was the best course of action to get to their good side. It was apparent that those two would be his best chance to get the fight he wanted with Luhan.

\---

“Challenge Luhan-hyung to a fight?” The two questioned, brows raised as if it was the stupidest thing they’ve ever heard. Minseok nodded in enthusiasm, hoping that they’d help him despite looking so unsure that his plan would work.

“And how does that benefit us?” Jongin answered with a mocking tone. One of his brows rose up while glaring at Minseok. There was obvious contempt on their part since they were still unsure if they could trust the guy.

“If I beat him, I’ll make sure to request something you’ve been wanting.” Minseok answered, sincerely laying down his cards.

“He always gives us what we want anyways. I’ve never gotten a no from him. So why should we help you?” Sehun asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I just wanna fight the guy one on one and see who’s really stronger.” Minseok explained but the two just looked at each other before looking at Minseok with disinterest.

“Not our problem then. Plus, there’s no benefit for us.” Jongin said, turning away to leave followed by Sehun. The two giants were surely intimidating and even so, they were hard to talk to. But Minseok knew how to approach them, since he did his own research while following the two to figure out their pattern and how to talk to them.

“I know he doesn’t let you fight with the group especially when there’s a raid. I can teach you.”

The two immediately stopped on their tracks. Looking at each other, hesitance formed in their eyes as if they had mentally talked. A few moments pass and Sehun was the first to look at Minseok. “How are you planning to train us?”

“Training people to fight with and without weapons is my specialty. I’ve trained a lot of people so I don’t see why I can’t train you. You might even be able to beat someone in here, like, say… Junmyeon.”

Minseok knew how Junmyeon always nagged at the two while also making sure that they were out of harms way during raids and gang fights. However, he also knows that Junmyeon can be persuaded to change his mind if, and only if, the two could possibly defeat him in a one-on-one fist fight. Junmyeon was skilled and everyone knew that since he came from a gang that brawled and beat people up for a living. They both looked at each other before looking at Minseok.

“Fine.”

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Sorry for my late update for this. I was trying to edit it to see if I needed to add more details plus I'm seriously bad at writing long stories. Maybe I should've just put this as a one shot. Anyway! Hope you guys enjoy. Also, my Twitter is @kimichi21a. Hope to hear your thoughts.


	3. His Decision and Conviction

“So… this is what you decided huh?” Luhan said, looking at Minseok who was already prepared to fight.

Sehun and Jongin managed to trick Luhan into going to the back garden to enter the fighting ring that Minseok and the younger painstakingly made with some sticks and a few [a lot of medical]tapes which earned him a complete ban from the clinic the moment Yunho found out about it. He did remember how the guy almost pulled out a scalpel to stab someone that morning had Jongdae not been there to calm him down and shooed them away to escape.

Luhan glanced over at Minseok’s shoulders, seeing Jongin and Sehun standing behind him. He scoffed before nodding. “I wonder how you got those two to back you up.” Luhan said with a smile that he couldn’t quite stop from leaving his lips, there was a strong feeling of pride laced in his voice and Minseok knew it—though unsure why but he did.

“I have my ways.” Minseok answered, taking the first step and finally picking his pace to land a punch on Luhan’s face. The other spit before looking back at Minseok and the fight ensued.

The fight was intense, punches were thrown while kicks landed. The two fought vigorously, blood continuously appearing from spots they didn’t think would be possible to bleed. The two panted, unwavering conviction apparent in each of their eyes. Luhan spit on the ground before glaring at Minseok, shivers ran down the latter’s spine when he saw Luhan’s eyes. There was something significantly different about them and he felt his knees tremble. Luhan ran towards him to finally land an uppercut that took him out. Minseok’s body fell on the ground, unconscious.

“You should’ve at least given him some slack. He’s still injured you know.” Jongdae said, stepping out from the house and into the back garden. He scratched his head before going to Minseok to inspect the latter’s injuries.

“I should really _still_ be mad right now.” Yunho commented, making sure to glance at the two giants who simply looked away. He went to check on Luhan’s injuries while Jongdae was checking Minseok.

Luhan felt something damp touch his arm. Looking at it, he saw Yixing offering a wet towel as he stood by him. Luhan gladly accepted the wet towel, wiping it on his injuries while Yixing watched Yunho to make sure that Luhan was fine.

“So… what do you think?” Luhan asked, wiping the blood off him. He looked at Yixing who had this unreadable expression on his face.

“He’s a great knight. Well-worth the trouble of saving him.” Yixing answered, looking back at Luhan who was just staring at him.

“Sure, he’s great and all… But will they take the bait?” Baekhyun suddenly asked, arms crossed against his chest while eyeing the unconscious man on the ground.

“They’re gonna have to. He used to be their leader.” Luhan answered, whipping the towel over his neck before stretching.

“Are we starting the raid then?” Yunho asked and Luhan just nodded his head.

“Preparations are complete. All we need now is his cooperation.” Chanyeol said, walking beside Kyungsoo who leaned on the window with him. The smaller parted his lips to talk, “Their next shipment is this weekend. We have to strike before then.”

“He should be up and ready in a few.” Jongdae said, standing up and looking at the rest. “He’ll… He’ll accept this.”

“I hope so.” Luhan said and they all followed him back into the house.

\---

Minseok opened his eyes to see the stars in the sky. He sighed, realizing how weak he’s become. He knew his life was such a disaster, what with his family betraying him and losing to the rival he thought he could beat. He felt powerless and small. For the first time in his life, he was lost.

“You’re finally awake.” Minseok heard a voice that pulled him out of the thoughts that drowned him. He looked up to see Kris sitting close to him. Legs bundled close to his chest while gazing at the stars just like him. Minseok knows the guy as someone who spent most of his days gazing at the stars, something about it calms him. And now that Minseok was there, he couldn’t agree more.

“I don’t know if any of them told you this but… we’re planning to raid your old gang.” Kris said and Minseok just looked back up at the sky, a sigh escaping his lips as if tired of dealing with them.

“To be honest… they’ve been tangled into shady business for a while. Getting paid to threaten people, sometimes beat them up and all that stuff… The group tried our best to help the people they hurt but lately they’ve gone from threatening people to killing them. We didn’t want to interfere with all of it but when they decided to overthrow you, Luhan said it was about time to stop everything.” Kris said, hugging his legs while he rocked his body. “Luhan said you’d want to help. But it’s a question no one seems to have asked you.”

“Then… Then are you asking me to make a choice about all of this?” Minseok asked, still looking at the stars. Confusion was evident in his voice but there was something more to it. Wondering why they would even ask him to choose.

“It looks like he saw potential in you just like he did from us. We didn’t come from good places too but he still saved us and now look at where we’re at. This vigilante group isn’t just to protect people but to save them too.” Kris stated.

“So… you’re asking me to help destroy my old gang huh?” Minseok questioned, his heart stinging at the words that had left his lips. It was unfair to state it that way but hearing of what his gang turned into, he couldn’t help but feel his heart drop.

“You were once their leader and it’s probably too much to ask but Luhan isn’t some terror seeking freak that wants to get to the top and burn everything down to submission. He just wants to protect people even if it means destroying the hierarchy of this world.” Kris said, looking at Minseok. “Would you be able to kill them if we told you to?”

“I don’t know.” Minseok answered, making Kris frown and look away. “But…” Minseok continued, catching the latter’s attention. “I know how to repay a debt. I owe him my life… so whatever he needs me to do, I will follow.”

“That’s… so lame.” Kris scoffed, but a smile evident on his lips.

“Luhan said I’m gonna be a chess piece… Then that means I have value despite my failure. I’ll fight alongside everyone. And this time… I’m going to protect my new family.”

The others who were eavesdropping in the house looked contented with his answer as they nodded while looking at Luhan. The leader, who was standing in the corner where everyone could see him, let out a smile. The look of pride evident in his face, knowing that he made the right choice of saving Minseok’s life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double Update! Yey! uhm.. don't forget to leave a kudos or comment. Thanks!


	4. What He Had To Sacrifice

“YOU FUCKING BASTARD!!! You come back here just to ruin our gang?!” Changmin said, spitting at Minseok. While the warehouse bathed in red. Blood was everywhere alongside unconscious bodies everywhere.

Minseok was void of all emotions, blankly glaring at the guy who cowered before him. Stepping closer to the guy, Minseok turned to kick him directly at his cheek. Changmin fell back before landing on the ground, unconscious.

“That’s the last of them.” Tao called out and Luhan nodded.

“The police should arrive soon. So, let’s bounce.” Luhan said and the group nodded before turning away.

Leaving the old warehouse, they all headed in different directions so they wouldn’t get followed. Luhan told Minseok to follow him and the latter didn’t question it. It was his first raid with the group and he still needed to learn the ins and outs of Luhan’s group.

Luhan, who specifically told Minseok to follow him, decided to bring the latter elsewhere to release the tension he had in his body. Observing the new guy for weeks and even before adopting him into their group, Luhan knows that Minseok wasn’t the type to hold in his emotions very well. He needed to have an outlet of some sort.

Luhan brought him into a boxing gym that one of the group members co-owned. He was sure that this place could release all that pent-up tension and maybe even more of Minseok’s emotions. Luhan threw boxing gloves to Minseok who almost didn’t catch it, unsure why they would need those.

“I don’t wanna knock you out cold again.” Luhan said, smirking at him before raising his hands to prepare for a fight. Minseok suddenly felt his blood boil. For some reason Luhan has that power to rile him up and always bring out his anger.

“Bring it!” Minseok challenged.

The two shared the boxing ring with fist gloves slamming against flesh and pain pounded against each other while, at the same time, releasing the tension from their nerves due to the raid. And with a heavy amount of time that passed, Minseok collapsed on the ring while Luhan pushed himself to get ice packs.

“Feeling better?” Luhan asked, throwing an ice pack to Minseok who caught it with his face. The latter winced when the ice pack hit him but the feeling of relief overcame the anger that was trying to bubble its way into his chest. Plus with his body too tired to move, his anger would have to be postponed for a later time. For now, he doesn’t mind lying down there since he wanted to rest. And he wanted to re-think how Luhan managed to beat him again.

“Shut up.” Minseok muttered when he heard Luhan snickering.

Luhan’s laugh filled the place but for some reason Minseok didn’t find it irritating as he initially thought. He used to think Luhan’s laugh ridiculed him and he often thought it was his rival’s way of getting to his bones. But he soon realized that it was just the way he perceived Luhan to be such a headache that he kept thinking of the negative impact the leader had on him. Though when Luhan’s laughter died down, there was an awkward time of silence before he started talking.

“They… turned out worse than expected.” Luhan’s voice had no emotions when Minseok listened. He did feel the guy sitting beside him again, though he wondered why he had to sit so close when the ring was pretty wide.

“Since when did this all start?” Minseok asked, there was concern in his voice. And Luhan couldn’t help but look at him despite the ice pack covering his face.

“The moment we first tried to raid your gang.” Luhan answered. “We’ve had tips here and there.”

“That’s why you came at that time.” Minseok scoffed, remembering how he protected everyone in his gang when Luhan and his group raided their warehouse. Minseok managed to save everyone but started forming a grudge on Luhan for suddenly attacking them for nothing. Turns out it was due to the dark business they did behind his back.

“The victims are in a better condition now. Their families have been compensated too.” Luhan explained leaning back, holding on the floor of the ring and putting all the weight of his upper body on his arms.

“Did you get back everything?” Minseok asked, looking at Luhan.

“Most of it.” Luhan answered, looking back at Minseok. “They’ve spent the rest. Living in luxury has high costs.”

“Were… were there children involved?” Minseok asked, his voice trembled and Luhan knew it was one of the guy’s weaknesses.

“I never would have waited if they did.” Luhan said, his eyes became dark with the new question. “Innocents were plagued with their greed but I would’ve destroyed everything earlier if they did something as stupid as that.”

Minseok couldn’t help but sigh with what he heard. There was definitely a moment where he dreaded what they might have done and he hated that he knew nothing about it. Knowing that they didn’t ruin children’s future somehow brought him a tiny sense of relief.

“Do you regret it?” Luhan asked, glancing at Minseok.

“I have a lot of regret in my life. But this… this isn’t one of them.” Minseok answered before finally pushing himself up to sit. “They had to go.”

“Your eyes look alive now.” Luhan said, looking directly at Minseok’s eyes. Minseok wrinkled his forehead while looking at Luhan. It was such a random thing to say when he knows that nothing about him changed. “What do you mean?”

“I noticed it when I first saw you… Your eyes looked like it didn’t have a soul in it. Looked like you were alive just because you were breathing.” Luhan explained before pushing his hands away from the floor. His leg bent close to his chest while the other bent on the floor. Resting his arm over his knee, he sighed while looking at Minseok.

Thinking about it, Minseok understood what Luhan said moments ago that he had changed. He has been feeling empty for as long as he can remember. Life rotated around the gang because he had to, as a leader who had to protect them all and make sure that no one gets hurt. And yet they betrayed him to feed their own greed.

Minseok has never really cared about his life. That’s what a leader should be. Or at least that’s what he thought they should be. Not until he met Luhan and how he leads his own group. He was the exact opposite of Minseok who ruled his gang with fear. Luhan led his group with loyalty and everyone trusts him. No one would dare betray him because he saved everyone’s lives and in return made sure that they could stand up on their own two feet without keeping them reliant on him.

“I… still don’t understand why you’d save me.” Minseok said. “And why you call me a chess piece.”

“Do you know how to play chess?” Luhan snickered before asking Minseok who just nodded.

“When you bring a pawn to the enemy’s base you get to retrieve a chess piece.” Luhan said, and Minseok nodded as he listened. “Yeah, the promotion.”

“That’s exactly why I call you my chess piece. You were just a pawn to others but to me it’s different.” Luhan explained.

Minseok just scoffed at the idea. Luhan didn’t look like someone who would be thinking about these things. You really can’t judge someone just by their looks.

“Besides, I had to save you.”

“Why?”

“To see what your eyes looked like if they’re finally alive.” Luhan answered, finally smiling at Minseok.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Just wanted to say thank you for reading this!


	5. Moments They Treasured

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heya guys! sorry for my late update. I had stuff happen. but anyway! here's the new update. I hope the story still makes sense. hehe. thanks to everyone who is reading this! and... erm... hope you like it. haha!

Luhan and Minseok slowly grew fond of each other. Minseok also came to understand the people in the group. He realized how similar he was with them and slowly got along with them. Although he and Tao kept butting heads due to the youngest always trying to be sassy, he knows the guy was also someone worthy of his trust.

Luhan, Minseok, and Yunho became real close friends especially since Yunho took a liking to the younger. He also liked watching the two spar while badmouthing them in their faces. Since he was older than Luhan, he could easily tease the leader whenever he wanted to.

Yunho was one of the first ones to follow Luhan alongside Yixing. Those two were Luhan’s best friends. But unlike Yunho, Yixing wasn’t someone who would openly trust someone. This was also one of the things that Minseok has been trying, getting along with Yixing who was Luhan’s right-hand man. Yixing wasn’t someone who would talk much, and his fluctuating mood was only stable when he’s with Luhan or the other close members.

Surprisingly though, he got along with the others quite quickly.

“Do you… need some help?” Minseok asked, looking at the guys who were arguing inside the kitchen. The taller one, who’s name was Chanyeol, looked at him with eyes like saucers while the smaller one, who’s name was Kyungsoo, looked at him with a glare in his eyes.

“Do you know how to cook?” Was the first thing Kyungsoo responded. Of course, the guy would never allow anyone into his kitchen. Especially if they’re anything like the youngest ones who were out to burn the whole house down.

“I used to cook for my group before… since I was the leader.” Minseok answered, stepping into the kitchen. He could still see the doubt in Kyungsoo’s eyes. But he wanted to prove his worth, plus he wanted to make sure to help people around the place as much as he possibly could.

“Well… you can cut these for now.” Chanyeol stated, smiling at him as he handed over a chopping board, a knife, and a bowl of vegetables.

Minseok could see the two observing him with the knife despite doing their tasks. He did notice that the two worked perfectly well together. Though their heights were different, they seem to move as one in the kitchen. Their knife skills were also superb and something that Minseok found enticing. Kyungsoo, especially, had a way with his knife which mesmerized him when he was cutting.

“What dishes did you usually make for your group back then?” Chanyeol was the first to break the silence. Something that Minseok was thankful for since Kyungsoo’s glares were starting to agitate him.

“Rice… Soup… Anything, really. Some of them didn’t have a home to come back to so they stayed in that old building. We were lucky enough to at least have a working stove and a couple of pots to use.” Minseok explained which made Chanyeol nod his head.

“Must’ve been hard.” Kyungsoo commented, making Minseok agree. “It was… But seeing them eat was worth it.”

“You know… you’re not that bad.” Minseok couldn’t help but scoff at Chanyeol’s comment. He also noticed that Kyungsoo was looking at the vegetables he managed to cut. “Is it just right?”

The smaller simply nodded his head before turning to face the stove and continue cooking.

“He’s not really a man of many words. But he’s passionate about what he cooks. He’s the one Luhan-hyung trusted to feed us so he makes sure that everyone is taken care of. You wouldn’t want any sick people right?” Chanyeol stated as he got the sliced vegetables to wash them in the sink.

Observing their backs, Minseok could see that there was this wall between them. Being an outsider, he felt like he owed it to them to at least get to know them and find out more about them. Since this was going to be his new family, he wanted to get along with them. Though he knows that it’ll still take some time.

“Is there anything else I can help with?” Minseok asked and the two just looked at each other before shaking their heads.

“It’s okay… We got it… But if you want, can you set up the table for us?” Chanyeol stated and Minseok immediately nodded.

Heading over to the dining table, he saw Jongdae talking comfortably with Yunho. Books between them as they discussed their medical findings and research.

“Oh-ho! Look at what we have here. Are you finally trying to get to people’s good sides now?” Yunho asked, chuckling at Minseok who was slowly preparing the cutleries and bowls on the table.

“I think I should at least get along with the people in here… I mean… They all helped me… in a way.” Minseok stated, glancing at Jongdae who was smiling brightly at him.

“You’re doing great hyung! If Chanyeol and Kyungsoo let you do that then I’m sure they trust you more than they do the youngest ones.” Jongdae and Yunho chuckled. Yunho followed with, “Yeah… Those two would never let the three touch the kitchenware.”

“I honestly think Kyungsoo doesn’t like me.” Minseok stated but the two just looked at each other before laughing. “Is it really that funny?”

“It’s the glare isn’t it?” Yunho asked and Minseok simply nodded. “Kyungsoo has astigmatism so he tends to look like he glares at people but he just can’t see well.”

“Why doesn’t he wear glasses then?”

“He does wear them… though he doesn’t when he’s cooking. Says it fogs up so he only uses it outside of the kitchen. Plus Chanyeol’s there so he’s basically Kyungsoo’s eyes. Though they argue like little hens all the time.” Yunho explained.

Minseok nodded as his lips formed an ‘o’.

“So… don’t judge him just because of what you see. Once you get to know him, he’s far better than how he looks. I bet you also thought Chanyeol seems to be snobbish?” Minseok looked away, guilty of what Yunho just asked. “They’re actually the nicest people in this place. If there was anyone in here I’d be worried about then it’ll be—”

“Oh, here you are. I was looking for you.” Luhan called out, walking towards Yunho. Minseok turned to see Luhan smile at him. “Ah? Are you helping out Chanyeol and Kyungsoo?”

“Mm… I thought I’d at least… make myself useful.” Luhan chuckled at what he heard. He just shook his head before smiling at Minseok. “You’re useful Minseok. Don’t think otherwise. But thanks for helping out here… I’m sure they appreciate your effort. Hard work always pays off.”

Minseok couldn’t help but smile from the compliment. Luhan has been showing him the ropes around and he’s thankful for that. But there’s still something rewarding about reaching out his own hand to get closer to others with his own effort.

“So… why were you looking for me?” Yunho asked, raising his brows at Luhan. The latter glanced his way before hearing another bite back. “Or were you _really_ looking me?”

Luhan saw Yunho’s eyes glance towards Minseok before looking back at him. A shit-eating grin covering his lips which Jongdae immediately reflected understanding what Yunho meant. “Oh-ho… it’s that kind of situation huh?” Jongdae chuckled.

“You, really…” Luhan grumbled as he clicked his tongue when Jongdae and Yunho high-fived. Minseok, on the other hand, was oblivious of the teasing that just occurred.

“If you guys don’t mind, can I burn those papers and kick you out of the house?” They all looked at where the voice came from and saw Kyungsoo carrying a serving plate on his hands.

And despite Yunho’s statement that Kyungsoo is one of the nicest people in the house, he hastily removed the papers on the table before awkwardly smiling at the smaller who was placing the serving plate on the table.

“It’s almost supper,” Kyungsoo stated as he looked at Minseok. He laid out his hand, trying to get the bowls from Minseok’s grasp but the older refused to give it.

“Oh! I’ll do it. Sorry I got distracted.” Minseok said, smiling at Kyungsoo before turning to put the bowls on the table and setting it up for supper.

“You guys… Didn’t I tell you not to do that here?” Chanyeol looked at them with irritation covering his face. Jongdae and Yunho just chuckled at them before turning around to leave.

Luhan, on the other hand, helped Minseok set up the table. Chanyeol and Kyungsoo looked at each other, noticing that Luhan was actually helping the newcomer when he doesn’t usually do that. They both shrugged before heading back to the kitchen to get the other food they needed to bring out.

“You didn’t have to help. I could do it on my own.” Minseok stated when he turned around to see Luhan helping him set up the other dining table.

Since there were a lot of people living in the residence, there were three dining tables in the dining area. Enough to feed the 27 residents in it. Minseok saw the other houses and know that there are other houses that were bigger than this too. If anything, it looked like a dormitory for college students.

“I know you could. But what’s two more hands to help right?” Luhan stated as he got another set of cutlery and bowls. Minseok did the same and they soon met halfway on the other table. “There. See? The workload is cut to half.”

“You sound so different nowadays.” Minseok suddenly spit out, unsure why he couldn’t hold the thought in his mind.

“Am I?” Luhan asked though he knows fairly well why his interactions with Minseok was changing. He couldn’t help but smile before turning away from Minseok. “Maybe you just didn’t know me that well before.”

Minseok watched as Luhan left the dining area. Something about the guy seemed strange to him but he just couldn’t put his finger on it. Looking back at the dining tables, he did appreciate the fact that Luhan helped him. What he knew about Luhan was starting to change bit by bit and he started thinking that the leader really did have qualities that he’d like to have.

\---

During dinner, Minseok had the privilege to observe Chanyeol and Kyungsoo. The two sat right in front of him which was usually occupied by Jongdae and Yunho. But the two decided to let the kitchen people sit in there today. Though he questioned why Luhan was sitting beside him today instead of his usual place beside Yixing.

“Hm? I move around to talk to everyone.” Luhan answered, brows furrowed as he looked at Minseok.

“You’re always sitting beside Yixing so… I thought you two were inseparable.” Minseok commented, earning a chuckle from Luhan. “We’re not inseparable. We’re not together 24/7. Besides, how did you even know that I always eat beside Yixing… unless… are you always looking at me?”

Minseok immediately denied the claim, defensively explaining. “I just… notice you and Yixing always eating together… I didn’t tell my eyes to look at you all the time!”

“But… it means you always do?” Luhan asked with a teasing smile and Minseok could only look away from him.

He finally noticed how Chanyeol and Kyungsoo’s attention was solely on him and Luhan and he felt his cheeks turn hot. Embarrassment flushing into his system as he looked down to concentrate on eating instead. Luhan just watched him, smiling as Minseok shoved the food in his mouth.

Chanyeol couldn’t help but smile as he observed their boss and his interaction with Minseok. There was something about that smile and he knew it was something precious.

Kyungsoo, on the other hand, felt happy that Luhan seems to be enjoying himself. His initial impression of Minseok started to change. Maybe the guy really wasn’t such a bad guy. After all, the way he sliced the vegetables were done with care. And the very thought of taking care of the people he’s feeding was something Kyungsoo knew quite well. Because he, too, felt the same way.

After helping them in the kitchen, Chanyeol and Kyungsoo got along fine with him. He then started helping them in the kitchen every now and then. Minseok didn’t even realize there was someone who knew how to cook in that place at first but finding out how the two would always take care of the food they cook and making sure that the taste was up to everyone’s liking, he realized that they cared deeply for everyone in the group.

He was also amazed that Chanyeol and Kyungsoo’s cooking skills were that of a real chef. Though he finds Kyungsoo’s glares to be quite irritating sometimes, Chanyeol’s smile often distracts him long enough to forget about the glare. Chanyeol and Kyungsoo were two of the friendliest ones in the group but he still thinks that the only reason they were friendly to him was because he helps them in the kitchen.


	6. Venture that Grey Area

In his quest to get along with everyone in the group, he couldn’t help but feel agitated many a time when dealing with Jongin, Sehun, and Tao. Especially that snarky Tao. The two younger ones, Jongin and Sehun, were hard to deal with, but Tao always takes the cake when it comes to difficulty in getting along with him.

Though at least with Tao, he can easily talk to the guy, despite the witty comebacks and the eye-rolling. But when it comes to Jongin and Sehun, it’s a whole different scenario.

They would immediately refuse to talk to Minseok, or anyone really, once they find out that it doesn’t benefit them. However, they were really thankful that with Minseok’s help, they were finally included in the group’s raids. But they still only bothered him when it is for their benefit. Other than treating him like their slave, they only listened to him when they gained something from it—Much to Minseok’s annoyance.

“Hyung, how come Sehun’s doing better at kicking than me? I think you’re teaching him more than me. You need to be fair about this.” Jongin complained. The third one he raised and it was still morning.

“Well, if you practiced half as much as Sehun, then you would be good at it too. Though your kicks aren’t as strong as his, your punches are to be commended.” Minseok uttered, which holds true. Jongin’s punches were quite strong despite the lack in strength of his kicks.

“It’s because you’re not doing it right.” The three looked back to see Junmyeon standing at the doorway of the gym. The two were surprised to see Junmyeon there, he hated the idea that they should be included in the raids, but he knows that sooner or later, they’d all have to join in.

“You came.” Minseok called out and he watched as Junmyeon entered with Kris trailing right behind him.

“Well… you did ask to spar… But I didn’t think you’d call these two.” Junmyeon, glancing at the two who were looking at anything but him.

“I thought it’d be nice to get training from the best fighters in the group.” Minseok stated, earning the youngest ones’ attention.

“To start, your form isn’t well established like Sehun. That’s why your kicks aren’t as powerful.” Kris stated, walking towards Jongin to show him the proper way.

Junmyeon looked at Sehun, who quickly glanced at him before turning towards the punching bag to start punching again. “You really have a way with pulling people into your pace, huh?”

“I try my best.” Minseok answered. “Besides… if they don’t start learning now… When are they supposed to?”

“I know what you mean… but… I just hoped they didn’t have to.” Junmyeon said.

Minseok could see the hesitance in Junmyeon’s eyes. He knows that gaze well. The eyes that looked at the people they care about, hoping that nothing bad ever befalls them. But he knows that leaving them vulnerable would only cause more problems in the future. And he wasn’t willing to risk it.

Though this was a new ‘family’, he still wanted to give his all to them. They’ve provided him with a home to stay in, warm food to eat and even saved his life when he was in the brink of death. He has already thrown away his life before but now, he wants to become better and hopefully change for the best.

“Eh…! This is a sight.” Jongdae commented, earning Minseok’s attention. The guy was smiling from ear to ear as he looked at the others practicing. “You’re really something. You even managed to push Junmyeon-hyung to train the kids.”

“They’re not kids anymore.” Minseok answered back which made the other chuckle as he shook his head. “Yeah… they aren’t anymore. But we watched them grow up, so we still see them as kids. Funny how that works huh?”

“No… I understand what you mean. The world’s nothing but a cruel place… it’s groups like this that give us a chance to live.” Minseok answered, eyes focused on Junmyeon who was talking to Sehun and teaching the younger. “But not everyone is lucky enough to find people like you guys.”

Jongdae turned his head to Minseok, looking at the guy who had obvious pain reflected in his eyes. He could clearly see that the older felt responsible for those people in their group that had strayed away from their path, but it wasn’t something he should be entirely responsible about.

“Sometimes… things happen for a reason. Good things might not always happen but without experiencing something bad then we won’t see the value of the good we have.” Jongdae said.

“I can do without the bad… but… you’re right… I would probably be dead by now if no one saved me. Going through something so shitty… makes you appreciate life more.” Minseok answered which made Jongdae smile. Patting the older’s shoulder he nodded as they both watched the others with their practice.

\---

“Your aim is shifting to the right.” Baekhyun uttered, tapping Minseok’s wrist.

The latter looked at his hand before looking at Baekhyun. “How did you even notice that?”

“The way you’re holding your gun. You’re putting too much pressure on the thumb when you should relax a bit and put pressure on the whole handle. Look.” Baekhyun offered, showing off his shooting skills and sending ten bullets straight to the bullseye.

Minseok nodded as he watched Baekhyun. He had to admit; the guy definitely knew his art. If Junmyeon and Kris loved bare-handed fights, Baekhyun was the guy you’d look for when it came to weapons. His extensive knowledge about guns paired with his precision was unmatched in the group. But when it came to knife skills, Chanyeol and Kyungsoo stood above everyone else.

Minseok learned a lot from each of them. From fighting skills, gun handling, knife-wielding, and even everyday necessities such as cooking from Chanyeol and Kyungsoo and survival which Jongdae and Yunho were more than glad to teach him. As long as he took the attention of the youngest ones, Yunho was more than willing to teach him anything he so desired to learn.

“You’re getting better at that.” Luhan stated, standing beside Minseok who felt something inside him stir. “I can see Baekhyun’s been teaching you his tricks.”

Baekhyun gave out a proud smirk. Letting the leader know that Minseok was in good hands. He proudly pointed at Minseok’s target practice and showed that the latter managed to get nine bullseye out of his ten shots. Luhan looked proud as he looked at Minseok.

“You’re adjusting really well here.” Luhan said. He couldn’t help but smile as the other was finally becoming part of their family.

Yet Minseok knew it wasn’t just about being part of their family. This is because he knows that Luhan has been giving him more attention than he does the rest. Maybe its because he was new, but it didn’t feel like Luhan was treating him as family.

He couldn’t really put his finger on it but Luhan was definitely treating him differently.

It became even more apparent when new members were initiated into the organization. Most of them didn’t even get to met Luhan, let alone get a glimpse of his shadow. Yet for Minseok, for some odd reason, Luhan was the one who reached out a hand to help him. Luhan was also the first person to welcome him into the group. It was bizarre, which led him to roll his eyes at Yunho for the unbelievable time that morning.

“Will you please stop it with the teasing? Just because Luhan barely shows himself to the new recruits doesn’t mean I get special attention.” Minseok reasoned after hearing Yunho glitter him with teasing such as; he was Luhan’s favorite, Luhan favors him more than anyone, He was the apple of Luhan’s eyes, and some other stuff that Minseok let in one ear before immediately pushing it out of the other.

“I’m telling you. Things aren’t always black and white, Minseok. Sometimes, you gotta venture that grey zone too.” Yunho chuckled before patting Minseok’s back.

“Does he always talk in riddles?” Minseok asked, looking at Jongdae, who was tailing right behind Yunho.

“Only when he’s teasing. Most of the time he’s straightforward with what he says… He _is_ a Doctor, y’know. Imagine a doctor talking in riddles while talking to a patient. I’m sure he wouldn’t have made it this far.” Jongdae uttered, allowing Minseok to process the words and grumble that it was true.

“Though I’m pretty sure, he’s just putting out his frustrations on you as revenge. Since the boss favors you, he thinks he can at least tease you.” Jongdae chuckled.

“And what’s the difference between teasing Luhan and I?”

“For one… he doesn’t have to talk to a gun barrel up his face.” Jongdae winked before hearing Yunho calling him. “You’ll just have to find out more about what he’s talking about. I’m sure you’re not that dense… or I at least hope you’re not.”

Minseok watched as Jongdae ran along to catch up to his mentor. Clicking his tongue, he was sure that talking to the medics in this place was giving him more headaches than it’s worth.

Though he initially wanted to delve deeper into the ridiculous claims that left Yunho’s lips, he wasn’t able to do so since they had to move from one house to another. Another reason why Yunho and Jongdae couldn’t help but look at him with those glimmering eyes full of teasing. He swears that if he ever chances upon a gun, Yunho would be his first target.

Moving from one house to another, Minseok finally discovered which of the people in the compounds carried Luhan’s trust. Among the people there, he noticed that Luhan would always bring 11 people with him. If he included himself, he’d be the 12th. He noticed that wherever Luhan goes, they go. Like little ducklings following their mother duck anywhere they’d go.

What surprised Minseok the most is the compounds that Luhan owned. Houses upon houses, each housed people that look like they were well taken care of. He remembered his old gang and how it was so hard to make ends meet, yet Luhan manages to support thousands of people like it was nothing.

“How many houses?” Jongdae let out one time, hearing Minseok talking to himself. Minseok was so amazed to see the houses in another compound that he accidentally let it slip. Though he was at least thankful that Jongdae was the one who heard his comment.

“Well… the houses that you see right now aren’t all from Luhan… More like… he inherited some from his grandfather and his father. Though I do know that he worked with his father to expand what his grandfather started. That’s what you see right now. The fruits of their labour.” Jongdae stated, not even waiting for Minseok to ask any questions.

“Oh… Is that so…” Minseok absentmindedly answered while looking around. He caught a glimpse of Luhan, who was right at the front, talking to someone. He couldn’t help but concentrate his eyes on the boss, it was as if a magnetic field was trying to capture him.

He couldn’t help but take a deep breath before noticing that Jongdae hadn’t stopped from talking.

“The boss’ grandpa was actually part of the Triads. When he moved to Korea, he founded this vigilante group that helped the people who, in turn, helped them grow into the organization that they were now. Luhan’s father took care of the group and it prospered under his reign. The people that they helped became their partners which helped the group grow bigger to help a lot more people who needed help.” Jongdae stated, as if reading it from an invisible history book.

“You sound like you’ve memorized that from some passage or something.” Minseok smiled, earning a gasp from medic.

“It’s something that gets passed around. It’s an important history of the group so everyone knows about it. You really should learn more about the organization.” Jongdae commented when another voice suddenly chimed in.

“I mean… I know you can’t help but stare of boss but if you keep doing that he might just melt you know?” Yunho grinned as he wiggled his eyebrows while looking at Minseok.

Although Minseok wants nothing but to shove a knife down Yunho’s throat, he couldn’t help but blush that he was caught in the act.

“Can’t help but look at him, huh? Can’t blame ya, he’s a looker. But you really shouldn’t make it too obvious.” Yunho teased some more and Minseok finally raised his hand to grab the medic and lock his neck in his arms.

“AHHH!” Yunho grumbled, earning the other’s attention.

Luhan, who was at the front, noticed what was happened. The moment Yunho saw Luhan looking at him, he immediately called out for help. “Luhan! Save me! He’s gonna kill me!!!”

The leader, just blinked a few times before turning back his attention to the guy he was initially talking to. Yunho felt dread take over him when he saw their leader leave him for dead.

“TRAITOR!!!” Yunho screeched before he blacked out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heya guys! Sorry for my late update! Hope you like it! And I'd really appreciate any comments if you like this. Thank you!


	7. Understanding His Place

Minseok was surprised to see Luhan the very next day. The moment Minseok opened his door, the leader was already standing there. _‘How long did he wait there?’_ Minseok thought to himself.

“Uhm… Good morning Luhan.” Minseok uttered, trying his best not to openly question Luhan’s intentions.

“Good morning. I wanted to ask you out today.” Luhan stated in a matter of fact voice.

Baffled about the sudden confession, Minseok could only blink at Luhan with bewildered confusion. “W-what?” Minseok stuttered, unsure why the guy would suddenly talk like this. He was so busy trying to come up with a proper response that the word ‘what’ was the only thing he could utter. If only his heart wasn’t hammering inside his chest, he wouldn’t be feeling so nervous in front of Luhan. He suddenly remembered Yunho’s speech last night and it just flared into his chest, causing more conflicting views into his heart. If Yunho didn’t shove his weird ideals to him last night, then he was sure he wouldn’t be this conscious of Luhan.

“I have a few errands to run and I needed your help. So… would you go out with me?” Luhan asked.

Minseok closed his eyes as a sigh escaped his lips. “If other people heard those words come out of your mouth, I’m sure there’ll be a misunderstanding. And when I say other people, I meant Yunho-hyung.”

Luhan couldn’t help but smirk at the other’s words. “Misunderstanding, huh? What kind of misunderstanding?”

“N-Nevermind. I take back what I said. It’s just a trivial matter. Let me just change my clothes and I’ll be all yours today.” Minseok said, not realizing what he just said.

Luhan, on the other hand, smiled as he watched Minseok close the door. He couldn’t help but bite his lip as a grin escaped.

\---

“Where exactly are we headed off to?” Minseok asked.

“the Marketplace. I need to pick up ingredients. Kyungsoo begged me to do it because he wasn’t confident of leaving the kitchen unattended.” Luhan stated.

“Unattended? Wouldn’t Chanyeol take over and guard it if the younger ones ever tried to invade it?” Minseok asked as Luhan guided him into a busy street lined with stalls of different treats. Clothes, food, ingredients, tools and different gizmos displayed along the busy walkway. Minseok was fast to notice how Luhan held on his wrist. The guy was sure that he wouldn’t be lost but in this sea of people, things could go wrong easily.

“Chanyeol is easily swayed into… dares. So its not advisable to leave him anywhere near the trio of trouble. Plus, if Baekhyun ever finds out that Kyungsoo isn’t with Chanyeol, all hell breaks loose.” Luhan shook his head as if remembering past memories that brought a frown on his lips.

Minseok wanted to concentrate on what the leader was telling him, he really did. But it was getting hard to do so with Luhan’s hand now intertwined with his fingers. _‘When did his hand get there?´_ Minseok thought as Luhan continued to guide him through the street.

They halted, three meters from the entrance. Luhan pulled him into a stall where a lanky old fellow sat on his chair with a fan on his hand, swaying it slowly to his face. Minseok noticed how the roots of the old man’s hair were starting to turn grey. The old fellow smiled the moment Luhan greeted him.

“Ah, are you here for the ingredients? Did Chanyeol and Kyungsoo get into another fight?” The old man asked, making Luhan chuckle.

“Oh, its nothing of the sort. I was heading out today so I volunteered to do the job for them.” Luhan smiled and the old man noticed how his hand was connected to the guy behind him.

Minseok, who was still unsure why Luhan was holding his hand, noticed that the old man’s gaze had fallen to their intertwined fingers. He wanted to pull them apart but Luhan’s grip on him tightened as he talked to the older.

Minseok stood there, unsure what to do while the two talked. After a few more exchanging of words, Luhan waved the old man goodbye before joining back into the crowd to head somewhere else. Minseok was surprised, that no goods were in Luhan’s hands.

“Wait, where’s the things you bought?” Minseok asked.

“They’ll deliver it to the house. It’s a lot for just four hands to carry.” Luhan smiled back at him before turning and going into a small eatery.

Minseok looked around and wondered what Luhan was going to buy there next.

“Oh! You’re here! I just finished cooking it. Come, let me get you a table and serve the food.” An old lady with grey strands on her hair welcomed them.

Minseok was quite confused. He followed Luhan thinking that it was to run an errand but here he was sitting at a table with breakfast items served in front of them. A freshly brewed americano sitting in front of him while Luhan was already taking his fifth bite.

“Why aren’t you eating? They’re not to your liking?” Minseok shifted his gaze from the reflection on the mug to the guy sitting in front of him. “N-no. Not really. But I’m just confused. Why are we eating? Aren’t we out on an errand?”

“We are. But it’s not fun doing all of that without food in our stomach. Plus you look like you could use a cup of coffee since I pulled you out of the house before you could grab one.” Luhan snickered before feeding Minseok with a sausage.

Opening his mouth, Minseok simply took a bite before humming in content. “That’s good.” Though his comment was obviously disregarded after Luhan wiped his thumb across his lower lip. The leader pulled it back to his mouth before licking it. “There was some left.”

Minseok wasn’t sure if it was the sausage or the embarrassment but he was coughing out after choking on something. He was sure that he swallowed the sausage properly but with Luhan’s finger on his lip, he was taken back. He was planning to take his cup of coffee to swallow it whole but Luhan handed him a glass of water instead. He downed that thing like a thirty elephant under the heat of Savana.

“You alright?” Luhan innocently asked, though Minseok could hear that there’s amusement in his voice.

“Alright. I’m alright.” Minseok coughed as he fanned his face after the sudden coughs. After that, he could barely look at Luhan. Everything else seemed to look more interesting as his eyes landed on them. There was awkwardness with the way he ate and Luhan was just there to enjoy it. It was a rare sight and he wanted to let it sink in.

“I’m glad we stopped by here first. You look livelier now.” Luhan stated as he snaked his hand along Minseok’s, intertwining their fingers together.

“D-do we really have to hold hands?” A question that earned Luhan’s attention. The leader simply glanced at their hands before smirking at Minseok, oddly enough it shut all the questions in Minseok’s mind.

The two hopped from one stall to another, ordering things and scheduling them for delivery. By the time they ended, the sun was already waving goodbye and the sky was already turning dark.

“Shouldn’t we head back home now? They might need you there.” Minseok worriedly asked as he followed the leader somewhere again.

Luhan didn’t glance back like he usually did at the span of the day. He was more concentrated on where they were headed now that Minseok decided to keep to himself. After a few more walks and a turn and a twist, they finally enter a restaurant that seemed to be more on the fancy side. Going up the stairs he wondered why they were there, but with Luhan not answering him, he didn’t bother asking again. He saw a waiter waiting at the entrance, but the waiter just bowed his head as Luhan passed him without even waiting for an answer.

Luhan lead him into a secluded corner where a two-chair square table was placed along the side of glass panels that had a beautiful view of the marketplace. The stalls were now switching their lights on and it looked comfortable. It felt like a community, a home.

“These people are who we protect.” Luhan started as he looked at the stalls while standing by the panel. The words he uttered earned Minseok’s attention. “They’re residence who earn their living through hard work. It’s a sight to see, huh?”

“It is… You’ve protected it well.”

“And now, you’ll be protecting it with us.” Luhan looked right back into Minseok’s eyes. “All those people that you saw a while ago, are people that my family have been protecting for generations. Now, it’s my turn to do it… and I want to do it with you.”

Luhan’s hand tightened its grip on Minseok’s hand. “The reason I held your hand while meeting them was to let them know that you’re…”

Minseok held his breath as he waited for Luhan’s words. The silence that hung between them while their eyes were lost in each other was comfortable. It was as if they were meant to stand there and look at each other without uttering another word. There was hope in Luhan’s eyes, Minseok knew it was asking him for something but he wasn’t sure what it was.

Though, he vaguely understood.

“That I’m what?” Minseok urged the words to fall out of his lips. He wanted to know what he was to Luhan. He wanted to hear it out of the leader’s lips.

“That you’re important to me.” Minseok noticed how the leader’s eyes shifted down to his lips. He felt conscious at the half-lidded lips that stared at his lips, all he could think of was that Luhan wanted to do something but he wasn’t sure if he was right. His assumptions were proven true when he saw the leader lean in but just before their lips could touch, Luhan said something that blew his mind.

“Because I’m in love with you.”

The leader’s lips were soft against his. While his mind stopped working after feeling the contact, his heart was prepared to erupt as it hammered inside his chest with different emotions that wanted to overlap one another. His chest was a whole wreck of emotions and he could barely process anything that’s happening.

The kiss wasn’t anything grand, just a peck that connected their lips and exchanged its warmth. But to Minseok it felt like fireworks exploding inside him while he stared at the leader’s face. Pulling back, Luhan gave him such a mind melting smile that he could only stutter in response. The words he wanted to ask was gone in a flash, mind you, words actually went out the window and gibberish were the only things he knew how to let out.

“I told you, I’ve always wondered how your eyes would look like once they’re alive. I guess after finally seeing them, I couldn’t help but fall in love.” Luhan answered, as if reading Minseok’s mind.

There were a whole lot of questions Minseok wanted to ask and Luhan was happy to answer it all over warm food and some wine. The guy finally confessed that the whole idea was a date and that he didn’t mind if anyone in the house misunderstood them because it’s well placed.

They enjoyed their dinner, questions were answered and Minseok’s mind and heart finally earned peace, settling to understand what Yunho was talking about.


	8. What Revenge Brings

It was beginning to get on Minseok’s nerves. The way everything seemed to be quiet, _too quiet_. No raids, no fights, and no problems. Minseok felt like something big is about to happen and he couldn’t sit still. Despite Luhan’s favor towards him, he still wasn’t included in the part of planning. That was mostly Luhan, Yunho and Yixing. Though Luhan tried to invite him before, Yixing didn’t seem that comfortable with him just yet. Though Minseok was glad that they included him into the information circle alongside the other eleven people that Luhan trusted, it was still a different feeling when he knew what plans were on hand.

He did notice that whenever there are such meetings, the younger ones would often bother him. Tao, for example would find a way to get under his skin. The guy always had a way of riling Minseok to the point where he’d want to kick the living daylights out of the young one. But as someone who’s older, he often chanted calming words under his breath to ease the irritation.

Since there’s no one trying to get under his skin lately, it was getting eery. Even Jongin and Sehun didn’t bother him like they used to. He started thinking how he’s really changed his outlook on the people in the group that he once bore hatred for.

Until one night, while Minseok was walking around bored out of his wits, he noticed that the usual noise in the entrance disappeared. He didn’t think it was possible that people would leave their posts but for some reason, he didn’t see anyone there. With a closer inspection, he noticed that there were bodies by the entrance and a shiver ran down his spine body when he saw bullet holes on their heads with blood on the ground.

He immediately hid himself. He steadied his breathing, unsure who was in the house now. He silently made his way towards Luhan’s room, expecting him to be there but was surprised to see different men searching the room when he peeked through the open door. Minseok mentally cursed and thought of where the others could be. He then took a deep breath before running towards Yunho’s room.

But with this action, it alerted the men in the room and they knew someone was already there.

The moment Minseok opened Yunho’s door, he immediately raised his hands when he saw a gun pointed directly at him.

“Fuck it, Minseok! What the fuck are you doing opening the door so suddenly?! I almost shot you!” Yunho grumbled in between gritted teeth. He was trying his best to be quiet but Minseok almost gave him a heart attack.

“What the fuck is going on?!” Minseok asked, his voice low. “And why do you have a gun?” Minseok added but Yunho just shoved a gun on his hand while pulling him into the room. It had a silencer and Minseok just looked at it as if it was the first time he’s seen it. Looking back up, he noticed Jongdae by the window, looking out to see if anyone would come.

“It’s an attack. I don’t know why they’re here, but it’s impossible to be here for Luhan.” Yunho answered in a hush tone.

The three suddenly turned to the door when they heard footsteps draw near. Minseok felt a big lump in his throat, he raised his hand to aim the gun at the door, copying Yunho. He wasn’t sure what’s happening, but he knew that more people will die tonight if they aren’t vigilant.

Yunho moved towards the door and leaned his back on the wall beside it. The moment the door opened, the three of them drew a sigh of relief to see Tao.

“This shit is seriously not good for my heart.” Yunho said, pulling Tao inside and closing the door making sure not to make a sound. This time he locked it.

“Oh? It’s a miracle you’re alive?” Tao remarked, raising his brows and smirking at Minseok.

“What’s happening out there?” Jongdae asked, not bothering to whisper now.

“It’s that guy’s gang getting back at us. They asked the west for back-up.” Tao said, motioning to Minseok when he said, _‘that guy’s gang’_.

“I knew it.” Yunho said, clicking his tongue. “The others?”

“Fine. I think we have everyone down.” Tao said. He looked at Jongdae before pointing at his gun. Jongdae opened a drawer before grabbing another gun and a silencer, handing it over to Tao.

“Rendezvous at the top.” Tao said and the three nodded.

They left the room together, still vigilant about the place. Guns pointed out while walking silently. They all headed to the north side of the place which was the back garden. Seeing that the place looked quite deserted with no sight of anyone around, the four hid themselves inside the bushes that were specifically made as hiding spots in case anything like this ever happened. They maintained camouflage, waiting for the others to arrive.

One by one the others slowly crept into the back gardens, all of them holding guns and then moving into bushes to hide themselves. When they saw different people, they would immediately shoot. It was taking a while, but they haven’t seen Luhan or Yixing yet. Yunho was getting anxious about it. He wasn’t worried about Luhan, but there was a tugging feeling that made him worry about Yixing.

“Did you see Yixing or Luhan?” Jongdae asked, but Tao just shook his head. “They might already be here.” Tao answered with confidence in his voice.

Just then, Luhan entered the back garden with a gun in his hand too. He looked around and saw dead bodies on the ground. A sigh of relief escaped his lips, but he didn’t lower his gun. Just when he was about to head to the bushes, he felt a gun right onto his temple.

The others tensed when they saw the gun and the hand. The person holding it wasn’t in their view and no one wanted to risk it and gun them down.

“Call them all out! Now!” a loud voice boomed, instructing Luhan of what to do.

“You do it.” Luhan answered back, looking back at the person holding the gun.

“You arrogant fuck, just because you got Minseok doesn’t mean anything. That trash is gonna pull you down with him. I’m gonna make sure you two meet in hell together!” Changmin shouted.

Luhan just smirked at him.

“Let you gun go and call out everyone. Or else I’m blasting your brains out!” Changmin challenged him but the leader was unfazed by it.

“Try it then.” Luhan challenged.

When Changmin was about to press the trigger, he felt his world turn upside down. The guy still pressed the trigger as he fell onto the floor. Luhan, managed to side step but the bullet still pierced through him. He fell on the floor from the shock of the bullet.

Changmin was confused by what happened but he felt strong arms around his neck as legs snaked themselves around his torso. His eyes landed on the gun that he had let go. He tried to reach for it but he was starting to lose consciousness. Slowly losing his breath under Yixing’s choke hold, Changmin managed to reach for the gun. When Luhan noticed it, he hissed before raising his gun and firing at Changmin’s hand. But it was a second too late as the guy already pressed the trigger that fatally hit someone before he finally lost consciousness.

The moment Changmin stopped moving, Yixing threw him away to run towards Luhan to check on his condition. His eyes widened and worry filled his face when he saw the leader’s condition.

“Yunho!!! Luhan’s shot!” Yixing screamed and the others immediately jumped out of their hiding spots.

“HYUNG!!!”


	9. Into the Future They Go

Minseok sighed, remembering that moment when his life completely turned upside down. From that boy who didn’t value his life to that man who swore to take care of his own life. He looked down at the tombstone that etched the name of his friend. Kneeling down, he sighed before talking to it.

“Hey… I… I’m still alive… Just like what I promised you.” Minseok said, holding on the tombstone. “Sorry for taking a while to visit you. I…” Minseok paused, looking at the girl who was bowing down at everyone and introducing herself. “I took care of the princess.”

“Minseok…? You’re here already?” Minseok looked at the source of the voice and saw Yixing. He had a bouquet of flowers on his arm.

“I’m glad you came.” Yixing said. Minseok smiled at him. It was rare to hear this from Yixing who’s done nothing but give him a hard time after what happened. But soon he changed and finally opened up to Minseok.

“He’d… He’d definitely hit me if I still hesitate. If I don’t start getting along with you, I’d be breaking my promise to him.” Yixing said, lowering himself and placing the flowers by the tombstone.

There was a moment of silence between the two. They haven’t seen each other much since Yixing decided to take a step away and escape their reality. Losing someone important in the group was something he felt guilty for, he kept thinking how everything was his fault. The blame game was strong for the first few months but Yixing finally spiraled down to thinking that it was all his fault.

Learning about Yixing’s trust issues from Yunho before, Minseok finally understood why Yixing was the way he was. Trusting new people that might just leave him was definitely something he couldn’t just open his heart for. Especially not when his own parents abandoned him when he was still a child. Had it not been for Yunho and Luhan, he wouldn’t have a place he’d call home.

“So… how’ve you been?” Minseok asked and Yixing just stared at the tombstone.

“Been better.” Yixing answered curtly. He wasn’t sure what to answer but he couldn’t hold the scoff that left his lips. “Maybe?”

“You miss him a lot, huh?” Minseok asked and Yixing sighed deeply before finally looking at Minseok. Yixing smirked at him. “Every fucking day.” Yixing said, there was still a look of guilt in his eyes.

“It… wasn’t your fault, Yixing.” Minseok said. Seeing the other’s eyes, he could see how tired Yixing was. He wondered if the guy was still able to sleep because he looked exhausted. He could see the guy’s cheek bones protruding while dark bags surrounded his eyes.

Yixing simply scoffed at the words Minseok said. He was sure that wasn’t true because deep inside him, he knew that it was still his fault. “I… still don’t believe that.” Yixing answered before looking away from Minseok.

“He said so himself, didn’t he? It’s not your fault.” Minseok repeated, placing his hand over Yixing’s shoulder. The guy could only look at the ground while his eyes were glazed tears that he was trying his best not to fall.

“Are you just here to bully Yixing-hyung again?” Minseok sighed in irritation the moment he heard Tao’s voice close by. Minseok rolled his eyes before looking at the guy. “You should learn when to shut up.” Tao said as he carried the little princess in his arms.

“Right back at ya.” Minseok shook his head before glaring at Tao who just rolled his eyes.

“No use talking to him when he won’t listen to you. Do you know it’ll just cause you more problems?” Sehun said, appearing from Tao’s back.

“I noticed some things haven’t changed.” Minseok said and Sehun just smiled at him.

“Change is constant. It would benefit you if you changed along with the times.” Jongin remarked, sitting right beside Minseok.

“Okay children, let’s all pay our respects. Stop fighting over trivial things.” Junmyeon said, now sitting beside Jongin while holding Sehun on the other side.

They all gathered and sat by the tombstone. Everyone gave an update of how their lives have been. It wasn’t just a moment to reminisce but a time to learn about the changes that happened in their lives. Minseok looked on as they told stories about themselves. Learning more about the group that he now calls his family.

Minseok noticed Yixing looking at his watch a few times over, looking like he was expecting something. He smiled, already knowing why the latter did so.

Later that day…

“Sorry I’m late.” Everyone turned their heads and looked at the source of the voice. The little girl immediately smiled brightly when she saw him.

“Uncle Luhan!” the girl called out before wriggling away from the other’s hold and running towards him.

Luhan immediately lifted her in the air before hugging her tightly. A smile escaped his lips as he tightened the hug on the little girl. She hugged him just as tightly as he did before she pulled back to cup his face as they smiled at each other. The others smiled, watching the scene unfold in front of them.

Relief took over Yixing’s face the moment he saw Luhan. Minseok noticed it, before smiling at Luhan who was now smiling back at him.

\--- _FLASHBACK ---_

“YUNHO-HYUNG!!!” Minseok shouted halting the steps of the others. Yixing looked at where the sound came from and he saw Minseok carrying Yunho on his arms. Both were covered in blood and everyone froze on their spots.

“What… happened?” Luhan asked, holding on the wound that the first bullet grazed. He put pressure on it before sitting up to see what was happening.

“Yunho!” Minseok called out once more, breaking everyone’s frozen state. Everyone rushed towards them to see what happened. Jongdae, on the other hand, was doing everything he can to help with Yunho’s wound, but the bleeding was continuous. Yixing’s face paled at the sight of Jongdae and Yunho. The color of blood slowly covered his clothes and everything around him, including Minseok.

“Ah fuck… what kind of drama’s happening now?” Yunho said, trying to laugh it off despite feeling the pain in his body. “You guys better snap the fuck outta those tears.” He said, trying his best not to show the pain he felt but it was apparent on his face.

“Y-Yunho…” Yixing’s voice trembled when he moved towards him. Tears rolled down his eyes when he finally reached Yunho to see the bullet pierce through his shoulder near his neck. “No, no… No! We need to bring you to the hospital!”

“Yixing… we can’t go there… you know that.” Yunho said, looking worriedly at Yixing who was now holding his hand and face filled with tears.

“I can’t lose both of you…” Yixing uttered, at this point he was now sobbing hard.

There was panic evident in everyone’s faces but with Jongin and Sehun’s quick thinking, they all spread out to get whatever help they needed. The others immediately rounded out the house to make sure to kill all the intruders with a fit of anger apparent in their heart. Meanwhile Chanyeol and Kyungsoo ran to the clinic to get whatever supply they can get their hands on.

“Luhan… take care of my princess for me. Don’t let her date someone like Tao… I swear to God I’ll haunt you in your dreams.” Yunho said, before coughing up blood.

Jongdae, who had taken off his shirt to put pressure on the man’s wound was crying. He knew the severity of Yunho’s wound and by the looks of it, the older needed a hospital. Minseok took his shirt too, trying to help Jongdae with the wound.

Though they two were trying their best to help, Yunho tightened his hold on Yixing’s hand and looked at him. “Yixing, trust Minseok already. He knows about her and about you.” Yunho said, before sighing.

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo scrambled back to where the others were. Chanyeol helped Luhan by wrapping gauze around the leader’s head where the bullet had grazed him. He also made sure to apply pressure. Kyungsoo, at the same time, helped Jongdae. But unfortunately, the wound was deep and it pierced more than muscles but it shot right through a vein. The horrified look on Jongdae’s face when he realized this made him stop moving. Tears were already streaming down his face as he looked at his co-doctor.

“That’s… You did whatever you can Jongdae… Now… You gotta take care of everyone for me, my apprentice.” Jongdae clenched his jaw as he nodded to the man’s instructions. “I-I’ll take care of them…”

“Y-Yunho… we’re gonna… we’re gonna save you.” Minseok said, trying his best to get himself together but seeing Jongdae losing hope was enough to make him realize what was going on. “You better make sure you treasure your life from now on you prideful cat… you’re not as invincible as you think. I’m gonna be watching over you.” Yunho scrunched his face at Minseok.

Yixing, realizing that Yunho was giving out last words, moved and hugged Yunho, while Luhan moved in pain just to see his friend.

“You guys… I think this is the end of the line for me.” Yunho laughed before coughing up blood again. “You both know how much I love you right? Even if you’re both idiots… I still love you.” Yunho said and the two nodded. “Ah fuck I wanna say so much more but…”

“I love you too Yunho … I love you… I’m sorry… I love you…” Yixing said, and Luhan held on his shoulder. “You know that we love you.”

Yunho raised his other hand to hold on Yixing’s cheek, wiping the tears from his eyes. “Don’t blame yourself Yixing … This was inevitable. We’ll die sooner or later, I just got the short end of the stick on this one.”

The sounds of sobs filled the area because no matter how much hope they all held… Yunho passed away.

\--- _PRESENT DAY ---_

“In Yunho’s name let’s go get drunk!” Jongdae suddenly exclaimed. Baekhyun was fast to put his arm over the medic’s shoulders and joyfully saying, “Let’s go get wasted!”

Junmyeon rolled his eyes as he looked at the others who immediately agreed to their medic’s request. “You really picked up Yunho’s bad habits.” Junmyeon stated while shaking his head. “You’re also becoming a bad influence to the younger ones!”

Jongin groaned followed by Sehun’s grumble of words. “Oh, c’mon hyung… You’re such a kill joy!”

“It’s better to do it at home. Kyungsoo was boiling beef from last night, it’ll be good with alcohol.” Chanyeol suggested and Kyungsoo immediately agreed with a nod. Kris and Tao followed, shaking their heads while watching Jongdae and Baekhyun make a fool of themselves when they started singing on their way back to the van.

Luhan, Minseok and Yixing watched as the rest started to walk their way towards the van. Watching them all gather together with smiles on their faces was a perfect picture that Luhan will always want to protect. Luhan glanced at the tombstone before nodding. He then looked to his side and smiled to himself when he saw the smile on Minseok’s face.

“Shall we go home?” Luhan reached out his hand as he carried the little girl on his other arm. Minseok looked at it before looking at Luhan. He sighed before reaching for it and intertwining their fingers together. Yixing stood on the other side of Minseok and for the first time, offered his hand. The latter smiled at him before holding his hand and intertwining them together.

The three of them walked back together, hand in hand and smiles finally back on their faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey hey,
> 
> I just wanted to say thank you for reading this fic. Though I updated soooooo long. But I got into some life circumstances and stuff. But I do want to say thank you for reading this fic and supporting it. XiuHan is basically such a hard pair for me to write for some reason because I just love them so much that I feel like they're on a pedestal and all that stuff. I know. I feel more confident writing other pairings than XiuHan because I feel like what they have is something so sacred. haha. So yeah. But anyway, I hope that you liked this fic and that you could leave a comment. I'd really appreciate that, as it could help with improving my stories in the future. Thank you!


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